hoopla digital redefines the Book Club experience, empowering fans with more connections to authors and fellow readers

Category-creating digital service for public libraries offers all-in-one resource to start and support a book club that can scale from home to community to national reach

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hoopla digital

Nov 19, 2018, 14:36 ET

HOLLAND, Ohio, Nov. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- hoopla digital (hoopladigital.com), the category-creating mobile and online service for public libraries, is now offering a new book club resource that empowers fans to build a club online and offline among friends, fellow library patrons in their community, and among like-minded literary lovers in other places across North America. Set in a dynamic digital service, the hoopla Book Club offers access to over 670,000 eBooks, audiobooks, and graphic novels with no holds and no waiting, provides the tools for clubs to build to any size they desire, and gives members unique access to engage with each other and their favorite authors.

hoopla digital launches digital resource to start and support a book club

hoopla book club's current spotlight title: EVERYTHING IS HORRIBLE AND WONDERFUL by Stephanie Wittels Wachs

"We created the hoopla Book Club Hub to empower those who love books – including eBooks, audiobooks, graphic novels and children's read-alongs – to have a deeper and more meaningful reading experience they can share with other fans," said hoopla Content Strategist Tara Carberry. "Our team studied book clubs and listened to what libraries and patrons wanted from the experience. The hoopla Book Club celebrates the traditional club culture of community and conversation and innovates on the model by giving curators more tools, easier access to content, and wider reach to connect with other fans of a title, author or genre."

Carberry highlighted several innovations that hoopla digital has made to redefine the book club experience:

Spotlight Selections. Every 90 days, the hoopla Book Club releases a new digital Spotlight Selection title along with eight additional titles. "Our selections show hoopla's range of dynamic content designed to serve a range of readers," said Carberry.
No holds, no waiting. Members can access the most popular titles on the hoopla Book Club. "There can be long waiting lists for popular titles," said Carberry. "We learned that book clubs can wait up to six months for titles to become available!" Hundreds of people can read the same book at the same time and discuss on social media.
Reduced member costs. Digital borrowing cuts costs for members. "Book clubs often read one hardcover a month and spend as much as $25 per title – that's a lot of cash a year. With hoopla and a library card, even the most popular titles can be borrowed."
VIP offerings. hoopla Book Club offers members-only specially-designed discussion guides, access to author interviews and 'A 'Why We Love The Title" introduction. "We've done the research and developed the tools so members can focus on the experience."
Exclusive meeting tools. The hoopla Book Club Companion provides a range of resources to enhance club meetings using the full hoopla digital catalogue, including music and movies on the book's themes, and recipes and drink mixes that tie in with spotlight selections. "We've made meetings more interactive. These tools are designed to enrich the discussion and the experience at every hoopla Book Club meeting."
Multiple ways to connect with members. Clubs can be online, offline, or both and can scale for ten members or ten thousand. "On hoopla, hundreds of people can read the same title at the same time and discuss it. Even if club members move, they can stay connected and use Skype and social media to participate."
A lighter load. Digital access means books don't have to be carried everywhere to be enjoyed. "On hoopla, even the biggest hardcovers weigh the same as paperbacks."
Exclusive author access. The hoopla Book Club offers unique opportunities for in-person meet-and-greet events with authors. "We have some exciting events coming up for our members," said Carberry.

"I am thrilled to see the in-depth engagement with my book that the hoopla Book Club is inspiring," said Stephanie Wittels Wachs, author of the current Spotlight title, Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss. "I really value every opportunity to engage with my readers directly, and this program is an exciting new channel for that kind of connection."

The hoopla Book Club is also a valuable source for librarians to attract new patrons and engage them. The hoopla Book Club experience can be taken offline with members meeting in-person at their local libraries and hosting organized group discussions.

"The hoopla Book Club is attracting new patrons to our library and providing a welcoming environment for those who love to read, listen and discuss today's most powerful books. hoopla Book Club members can gather at our library and we will host events with authors too. We're pleased to see the power of community hoopla Book Club members are building by connecting in the digital environment and in-person," said Tom West, adult program coordinator of the Brazoria County Library System in Texas.

hoopla digital has partnerships with more than 1,600 public library systems across North America including Boston Public Library, Free Library of Philadelphia, Chicago Public Library, San Francisco Public Library, and Los Angeles Public Library. Visit hoopladigital.com to find out if your library partners with hoopla.

To sign up for hoopla, cardholders of participating libraries can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or iOS device. Patrons of participating libraries need a valid email and password to start accessing content right away. Content on hoopla can be accessed across a range of platforms including Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

Patrons with a hoopla digital account can get started with the hoopla Book Club at theclub.hoopladigital.com.

For more information, please contact 800-875-2785 (US) or 866-698-2231 (Canada).

About hoopla digital
hoopla digital is a category-creating service that partners with public libraries across North America to provide online and mobile access to thousands of Movies, TV Shows, Music, eBooks, Audiobooks and Comics. With hoopla digital, patrons can borrow, instantly stream and download dynamic content with a valid library card. All content is accessible via hoopla digital's mobile app and online at www.hoopladigital.com. hoopla digital is a service of Midwest Tape – a trusted partner to public libraries for over 25 years.

SOURCE hoopla digital